A Very Special Project
by Tais T
Summary: Prequel to 'I Am Not Sure What Love Is, but I Guess I Love You', so you should read it first.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I miss writing my F4 story so here is the prequel=) by the way it was **_**Cookie4Me**_** that gave me the idea of writing it, but I wasn't sure whether I'd do that because I didn't know how exactly to write that. But recently the idea just popped in my head, hope you'll like it!**

**Just something I should tell: there might be some mismatches between how things were described in I Am Not Sure What Love is, but I Guess I Love You, that's because when I started this story I didn't have a clear idea of how it will end, so some things here are different, they match rather how things were in the end of that story. **

**And about Woods' rank. I didn't bother to look at the list of ranks before (sorry=) so let's say that in the I Am Not Sure… he was Major General. Then it will make sense. **

**November ****17****th****, 1996**

"_Mommy, please! Mommy, don't leave me! Take me with you! Mommy!"_

Tears were streaming down from eyes of a 10 years old girl lying inside of a huge device, wires and sensors all over her head. Pictures of happy families and mothers hugging their babies were appearing on a screen before her eyes and now she could barely see them through the tears.

"Brigadier General, I think that's enough," one of the men that were standing behind a glass, separating them from a girl in the device, was constantly checking monitors, where the girl's brain was depicted. About an hour ago it was showing different parts of the brain taking different colors as the pictures on the screen before the girl were changing, but about fifteen minutes ago all her brain was red. "She feels fear, anger, grief, disgust… I think she might be thinking on the moment her mother left her in the orphanage."

"Woods, that's enough!" one of the few women in the room, the one that was standing behind them all, said loudly.

Brigadier General Webster Woods, who was looking through the glass at the room where the girl was, looked back at the woman.

"Miss O'Connor, I don't think you should interfere in this business, it's not your competence," he answered coldly. "Besides, I don't quite understand why you are even in here."

"Let's not forget if it wasn't for me, Project Aquamarine would never take place and you would never be promoted to Brigadier General. In fact, if I say this project is unprofitable, you won't see another promotion. Still dream of being Major General?" the woman, Jeanette O'Connor, crossed her arms.

"Brigadier General…" one of the men interfered.

"Okay, finish this. Take her out," Woods headed towards the door into the room on the other side of the glass.

"I'll leave you, Woods, have to go," Jeanette O'Connor didn't look at the man and swiftly left.

Webster Woods looked back at her, huffed silently and entered another room.

The girl in there was meanwhile already free from all wires and sensors and was now hugging her sharp knees. She was still crying.

"Alexis?" Woods stepped closer to the girl and she looked up at him.

The man could barely hide the grimace of disgust when he looked at the girl's face. Her eyes were yellowish, her skin was covered in moss-like scales and she was bald. Even after seven months she has spent in their laboratories he couldn't get used to how ugly she was.

"Alexis," he started as softly as he could. "You have suffered a lot. We have promised you to end it and we will."

Alexis nodded swiftly several times. She looked desperate.

"But you have to agree to whatever we will need to do to help you," the man continued.

The girl nodded again.

"Even if it will cause you pain," Woods looked right into her sick eyes.

After a mere second of hesitation Alexis nodded again.

Woods forced a smile and left the room.

"Okay, let's start with it," he announced loudly.

"But… I am not sure we should do that," one of the man looked at Woods. "We have no idea what consequences there will be…"

"Have you seen that… thing? I can't even call it 'girl'," Woods stepped closer to the hesitating man. "There can't possibly be anything worse. Let's start."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**November ****22****nd****, 1996**

"So?" Webster Woods entered the lab of the Washington building of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. "She woke up?"

"Only an hour ago, and we called you immediately. Almost three days in coma, since we moved her into this building and started the experiment," one of the men sitting near monitors responded. The laboratory took two stories and they were on the second one. Beneath them they could see an operating table with Alexis lying on it, people in white lab gowns around her.

"How are her vitals?"

"Considering her disease they are normal. Well, just as normal as they can possibly be."

"You checked whether we succeeded yet?"

"No, we were waiting for you."

"Good, let's start," Woods commanded.

Scientists beneath them tied the girl securely to the table she was lying on. Woods saw her mouth open but couldn't hear anything. He wasn't sure she was saying anything, she wasn't good at speaking.

One of the scientists took a device resembling a thick knife; he was holding it with precaution.

"The temperature is 212 F, the water boils at this temperature", someone told Woods but he only waved his hand disturbed. He was eyeing the scene beneath them attentively.

When a scientist touched the girl's leg with the device, Woods expected a yell of pain, but nothing came. The man could see the skin turning red where the contact took place, but the girl didn't even flinch.

"Nothing," a voice came from behind Woods.

He turned around and looked at one of the monitors where he saw different lines, depicting obviously the girl's vital signs.

"That's impossible," Woods murmured stepping closer.

"Why it is," another man staring at the screen huffed. "She doesn't feel anything. No body reflexes."

A pleased grin spread across Webster Woods' face.

"Good. Keep on, try cold, cuts… well, you know what to do. Contact me if necessary."

"Yes, sir."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**November 24****th****, 1996**

"Brigadier General, excuse me for calling you late…"

"I wasn't sleeping. What is it?"

"I think we overdid it…"

"Excuse me?"

"Remember that test we made, we were showing the girl pictures and checking her reactions…"

"Yes, and?"

"We made that test again, an hour ago, and… she doesn't feel anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Her brain parts, responsible for feelings and emotions, were active for about a minute, then – no reaction for an hour. No matter what pictures we were showing. So this means she can only have _emotions_, with which she copes swiftly, but no long-term feelings, like grief, pain…"

"What if she just forgot her past? Amnesia?"

"No, that's impossible. She remembers all that happened to her, well, before that coma…"

"She barely speaks, how did you?…"

"We asked her to write all that…"

"Okay then… well, the main thing is she can't feel physical pain, that was the aim of the experiment. Now we can do whatever we need. No limits."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**January 21****st****, 2000**

"Turman, what do you mean we succeeded but not exactly the way we wanted to?" Webster Woods was walking swiftly through the passageway towards the lab, accompanied by a man in white laboratory gown.

"When four years ago we started the experiments with the girl's DNA we have tried numerous different fishes genes, not knowing what exactly we are doing and what it can lead to…"

"I remember how we started," Woods pressed his lips together, irritated. "What do you want to tell me?"

"That we got something we could never think of…"

When they entered the lab the first thing Woods saw was the girl swimming in a huge pool. Alexis was now fourteen years old and Woods thought once again in about two years how beautiful she turned out to be. Her eyes, not yellowish anymore, were hazel-green, lashes were long and thick, and her hair, which was now until her shoulders, was reddish-bronze color.

_Who would have thought, _Woods huffed.

"So?" he turned to the scientist.

"Alexis, swim closer to us," Turman ordered loudly and the girl dived in.

"What?..." Woods though he was having delusions.

But when the girl swam closer he understood that it wasn't his eyes. Alexis had a fishtail. Some scales, but not the moss-like she used to have, were on her small breasts as well.

"What is that?" Woods murmured amazed.

"That is what I've been talking about, sir," the scientist responded. "And that's not all. Alexis, show your neck!"

The girl did as she was told and Woods saw gills on her neck.

"Jesus," he whispered. "But how?..."

"That is just what we got since Alexis woke up yesterday and was put in water."

"You mean it all… it all appeared in water?"

"Yes," Turman nodded.

"And how did she react?" Woods asked with interest.

"Well," the other man smiled lightly, "let's say it's a good thing she got rid of all feelings before. So her confusion lasted for about a minute."

"So… will she be that… mermaid thing for good?"

"No, no… look… Alexis…"

But the girl was listening to their talk and understood what she needed to do. Woods couldn't see what was happening underwater, but soon the gills on her neck and scales on her breasts disappeared.

"How does that work?" Woods asked after a while.

"We are not sure yet, but it seems like the scales hide under the epidermis when she is human. We still need to research into that, of course."

"I guess we also need to tell her that being naked in front of men is not very good for a young lady," Woods huffed.

"You've already seen me like this," an unknown voice came from the pool and Woods realized to his surprise it was Alexis.

"You speak?"

"For about two years already, since we've cured the ichthyosis," Truman replied for her. "All in all she seems a really intelligent girl, I must say."

"Really?" Woods raised his eyebrow. "Okay then… do you know what we all are doing here?" he bent down to the pool.

"Project Aquamarine," the girl responded. Her voice was calm.

"Right. So starting today you are no more Alexis Ria Pierce, do you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Your name is now Aquamarine. Forget about the life you've had before… not that there was anything worth remembering."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**May**** 17****th****, 2001**

Webster Woods was walking towards the laboratory of NGA New-York. The man was trying to hide his anger.

_They are supposed to constantly report me __on what they are doing! Why in hell aren't they?_

When he opened the doors by typing his personal code on the panel nearby he heard a loud 'splash' and closed his eyes involuntarily. When Woods opened them he saw the space was now more of a battlefield then a laboratory. Some things were broken, water from the pool was all over the floor and inside of the pool there was a small storm.

"What is going on?" he yelled and suddenly someone grabbed his shoulder and made him sit down.

"Woods, carefully, don't let her see you…" it was Turman, the head scientist of the Project Aquamarine.

"Turman, report immediately…!"

"Aquamarine seems to have now control over water…"

"What?" Woods looked at the other man angrily. "What are you talking about? That's a nonsense!"

Another loud 'bang' came from the opposite side of the laboratory.

"We are here for about seven hours and Aquamarine is now _testing_ her new powers…"

"And you are all hiding in the corners? Twenty-four healthy men are afraid of a fifteen years old _girl_?" Woods looked at the scientist angrily.

"Have you seen what she turned the laboratory into? She can now freeze and boil water, not speaking of being able to make it move and do whatever she wants…"

"Then I'm surprised you haven't left the laboratory already… oh, right, that would have been desertion," Woods huffed.

"I think we should undo the last experiment…" the scientist started.

"Undo? Turman, are you insane? This," Woods pointed with his finger towards the girl, "is beyond our expectations, so don't you dare change that, understood?"

"Yes, sir," Turman nodded after a second of hesitation.

"And let me tell you one thing… treating Aquamarine should be like treating a dog. That girl should know her borders."

With that the man swiftly stood up and took a step towards the center of the lab, where the girl was standing. She seemed absorbed in herself, looking at the water and obviously controlling its movements with her right hand.

"Aquamarine!" Woods called out loudly.

The girl looked at him and put her hand down.

Woods smirked. _She does know her place._

"We will now leave this laboratory and you can do whatever you want until you learn how to control what you have now. But remember, if you ever try to hurt one of us or do something against NGA, doesn't matter, now or later, the consequences for you will be fatal."

The man wasn't threatening, he was just informing. But the girl was listening attentively.

"Understood?" Woods raised his eyebrow.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Everyone, out!" the man said now loudly. "Watch this lab via cameras!"

"But sir, what if she crashes this place?"

"Let the girl have her fun."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**June 2****nd****, 2002**

"So you are practically setting me up? Making me babyseat some ugly freak to get _you_ promoted?" a twenty-one years old guy with blonde hair was looking at Webster Woods with irritation.

"Max, I don't want you to babysit Aquamarine, I want you to train it." Woods replied.

"_It_? Wow, uncle, you sure are polite," Max huffed.

"I have just told you Aquamarine's story, and I think you should now there is no use to treat the girl like a human since she's not a human anymore."

"Okay, whatever, but come on, how will I train a girl that's sixteen, for God's sake? I mean, you just told me she can do all those freaky things with water, isn't that enough for you? And she has a fishtail, come on, who will need anything more that that?"

"Look, Max," Woods stood up from his chair and came up to his nephew. "Our engineers are now working on another submarine from 'Hydra' series, Hydra-7. If you agree to train Aquamarine, I'll put in a word for you to get you there."

The guy bit his lip.

"Hydra-7?" he asked.

"Yes," Woods nodded. "And if you are as good as I think you are, you will get promoted there quickly. But you need to agree to train Aquamarine."

"Alright," Max shrugged after hesitating for a minute. "I'll train that ugly 'project' freak of yours."

A small smirk touched Webster Woods' lips. "Ugly 'project' freak," he huffed.

"Should we go to the lab?" Max asked his uncle.

"No, Aquamarine should be here soon. It doesn't live in here anymore."

"Really? And where does _it_ live?"

"We rented an apartment. Aquamarine should try to blend into the real life."

"Nice… you spend _some_ money on it, for sure."

"Yeah, you don't even want to know how much exactly," Woods smirked.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Woods was eyeing his nephew's face attentively as Aquamarine came in. And a smile of satisfaction spread across the older man's face as he saw the expression of young Max Hudgens.

"Why didn't you tell me she is not ug…" the guy started but then shut up, looking at Aquamarine.

Woods huffed again.

"Aquamarine, this is Max, he will train you. Martial arts, technics… whatever any soldier is trained to do. Max, this is Aquamarine."

The girl's expression was blank. In fact that was the only expression Woods has seen of hers in years.

"Questions?" Woods looked at both Max and Aquamarine. But he knew there will be no questions from _it_.

Max shook his head.

"Okay then, dismissed."

"So…" Max started when they left the office of his uncle. "What is your name?"

"Aquamarine. Brigadier General just told you," the girl replied indifferently.

"And that's how everyone calls you? Always? What, no short names?"

"No."

"How about I give you one?" Max suggested eyeing the girl attentively.

_Man, did they _design_ her so hot or what?_

"Give me a short name? Like what?" the girl looked at Max and he saw interest in her eyes.

"Well… Aquamarine…" he considered some names in his head. "How 'bout… Amara?"

"Amara?"

"Yeah. You like that?"

"Well, not bad."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**August 16th, ****2003**

"Max, may i ask you something?"

"Sure."

Amara and Max were lying on the messed-up sheets on the bed in Amara's apartment. The girl was looking at the setting sun through a big window and Max was playing with a lock of her hair.

"You never asked me why I can do all that stuff with water… why?"

"After more than a year you started to feel curious?" the guy huffed.

"No… I was always expecting you to ask that," Amara turned back to look at him.

Max didn't respond. He was looking at how sun light was playing on the girl's soft bronze hair turning them bright red.

"Well, you must've understood uncle told me…" he said after a while.

"What exactly did he tell you?" Amara was looking at the guy anticipating .

"That they were making tests and experiments on you…" Max's expression showed that he wasn't enjoying the talk. "Look, let's just…"

"I want to tell you something," Amara interrupted him suddenly. "They started all those experiments on me because I was sick… genetic disease called…"

"Ichthyosis. I know," Max finished for her.

"You know? I mean, you knew?" the confusion on Amara's face was so obvious Max smiled.

"Yes, I knew all along. Why is that so surprising?"

"And you… do you know something about it? Ichthyosis?" the girl was eyeing him attentively. "Do you know _what_ it is?"

"I checked on the Internet," Max replied simply.

"And since when?..."

"Uncle told me when he asked me to train you… about a year ago. The very same night I checked it."

"You mean you knew all along… and you still…" she didn't finish because Max sat up and bent down to her face.

"It doesn't matter."

"I bet you wasn't that sure when you saw pictures in the Internet," Amara was looking straight into his eyes. She has already coped with whatever emotion there was.

"I've read everything I could find about that disease. I know what it is and I could only imagine how you felt back then. But the past is gone, it won't come back. Just forget about it, okay?"

"It is easy for _you_ to say… I can't just let go of all that…"

"All you have to know is that you are special. Because of what you had before you have powers now."

"I could live without them, you know."

"Don't you like your powers?"

"_I _do… but I always thought others will never take me for who I am. Or rather, what I am."

"You have me, remember?" Max smiled and brushed the girl's lips with his thumb.

The girl smiled too.

"You truly _are_ a very special project, Aquamarine…" Max leaned closer to the girl and kissed her.

"Do you think your uncle knows about us?" Amara asked when they parted.

"Don't know… you think he will be against?"

"Maybe… we should better keep it in secret anyways…"

"Agreed. Specially since you are minor," Max smiled mischievously.

"Hey, I'm almost eighteen!" Amara frowned but her lips were smiling.

"'Almost' doesn't count," Max kept on.

"Oh, well then you should better go and we will never do this again…" the girl shrugged demonstratively.

"Hey, okay, okay, I take my words back," Max raised his hands in surrender and then leaned down to put them on the back of Amara's neck.

**Okay, so you see Max is not a bad guy=)**

**So, what do you think? I was planning on making one more chapter, so if you'd like to read it, review=)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, here is the next part=) sorry for keeping you waiting.**

**In this chapter you will see what Amara is and maybe you will think she's rude and bitchy, but I never said she's not=) anyways, I like how she turned out to be and hopefully you won't hate her.**

Amara's POV

**July 8****th****, 2005**

"Hell, what's wrong?" Max took off his helmet and yelled over the noise that all people and cars around were making. We were near Brooklyn Bridge and it seemed to be closed.

"Looks like we're not getting to that 'coolest place in the world' of yours," I shouted back at him.

"But I'm starving!"

Those human beings! Can't even handle their own instincts.

"Crap, this bridge has always been free!" Max went on complaining.

So, it's closed now, big deal.

I shook my head, being grateful yet again all feelings were eliminated from me long ago. Too bad there were some things that were getting to me, but traffic jam was definitely not it.

"We could just go to our place," I suggested. There has been a nice bar near my apartment where we would always hang around when we were hungry. I mean, when Max was hungry.

I saw Max rolling his eyes but then he nodded in agreement.

"Guess we better get out of here before it gets worse," I added.

"Okay then, the last one to get there pays!" Max put on his helmet and started the engine of his motorcycle.

Yeah, like that will ever be me.

And of course I was the first one to get there, surprise-surprise. When I entered the bar Max was nowhere to be seen. I came to the bar counter and put my helmet on it. Time to order the most expensive thing in here since Max is so kind to pay… I huffed.

"May I help you?"

I looked up and saw a young guy I've never met here. He must've been new.

"No, I'm good, I'm waiting for my friend," I shook my head. To my surprise the guy didn't leave. To be exact, he didn't _move _at all, gazing at me.

Okay, what's wrong? What's with my face? No, please, not again…

I felt that awful fear filling me slowly… it happened all the time someone was looking at me for too long… _that_ was something I could feel… no, please, don't stare, please, look away, _look away_!

I couldn't stand it when somebody was staring at me that way. It reminded me of the days I was sick and people weren't able to take their eyes off of all that gross stuff covering my face.

I was about to scream at that guy when a familiar helmet was placed next to mine.

"Crap, you won again," Max huffed and then looked at the guy, "may we help you?"

He murmured something and finally turned away.

Finally.

"Max," I started slowly, "what's wrong with my face?"

"And what's wrong with your face?" he frowned.

"You tell me," I snapped, "this guy was staring at me like…"

I couldn't find words.

Max laughed. "Seriously?" he was looking at me disbelievingly.

"Seriously _what_?"

Okay, now _this_ is what gets to me.

Max shook his head. "Seriously. I thought we've been through that already… okay, okay," obviously my look turned way too angry and he raised his hands. "You remember that people are stunned – and the guy is stunned – by two things – well, normally – either ugliness or beauty…"

"And that is why I'm asking you _what's wrong with my face_?" I was doing my best to keep myself calm. Okay, if that goes any further, it might get really bad.

"Nothing is _wrong_, Amara! Why can't you finally admit you're beaut…"

"Hey, you gave me a boiling juice!" both angry and surprised female voice came from behind me.

"Okay, okay, I shut up!" Max raised his hands again and kept them that way until I shook my head calling it quits.

"Guys, turn on the TV!" someone's excited voice made me turn my head. I saw a man literally running into the bar. "Come on, watch the news!"

"… But the rescue itself wasn't the issue…" a reported was speaking swiftly, behind her there were crashed cars and a huge crowd. What she was saying next was hard to believe.

Four superheroes? The 'rubber-like' one, a woman, that could turn invisible, a guy who was literally on fire, a man that looked like… like a rock… what the hell was that? Who are these people? Okay, not exactly _people. _Fantastic Four? What _is_ that?

"A new day is dawning, the day of the Fantastic Four," a young guy was smiling a real Hollywood smile directly into the camera.

"So he is the one that can… burn?" Max seemed surprised too.

"Looks like it…" I nodded. "Plus…" I looked intently into the guy's face, "he is self-centered, always needing a spotlight, a player and… guess he had some trauma in his past… something _really_ bad… but can't figure what."

Max looked at me with a bit of irritation. "Still reading those psychology books?"

"Woods told me to 'blend in'," I shrugged.

"I don't think he meant studying people like they're bacteria under a microscope," Max huffed. "Besides, why are you so good at reading people's faces except when this person is right before you and looks you straight in the eyes?"

I waved my hand at that. To be honest, I didn't know that myself. But

"Speaking of Woods… don't think he will be happy knowing I'm not one of a kind anymore…"

My phone rang.

"Hey Derek,"

It was one of Woods private assistants.

"Hey Amara, Woods calls a family meeting…"

"Got it, be there."

"If Max is around…"

"Okay, I'll tell him."

"Good, then hurry up. Seen the news already?"

"Can't wait to know what Webby'll tell us."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**June 14****th****, 2007**

"Yes, General… I understand… yes. Understood," Woods put down his cell phone and then suddenly smashed it onto a wall.

Some of the men in the room winced.

"Curse that Hager! He got the mission!"

So we're not going to save the world. Big deal. Especially since I'm not sure whether I'll be alive tomorrow.

"He got the mission only because he's always there to lick someone's ass!" Woods was going on.

"And what's the official reason?" Max was the only one brave enough to interfere. I could do that too but I've already heard enough of myself not knowing my place… actually that's all Woods would tell me when I ask questions. And I've already seen all emotions on his face so there's no scientific interest as well.

"The official reason is that we don't have any means to deal with that anomaly," Woods said through his teeth.

"Like Hager has any," Max shrugged.

"He suggested use Reed Richards and his team…"

I raised my head. Those superheroes? Since when are they allowed to interfere into matters of national security? I though catching robbers is all they can do.

"So now we have to be ready to step in when they fail," Woods looked at us all. Seven men and I were sitting around an oval table in his office. Just an ordinary 'family meeting'. "Dismissed."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**May 2****nd****, 2008**

"Okay then," Woods put a bunch of small CDs on his table and looked at us. Is he _really_ in good mood? "We've got the task. In twenty-two days we are going to extract that substance our scientists have detected in The Mariana Trench…"

I shook my head hearing everyone's excitement. Whoopee. Good for us.

"… and we are going to be accompanied by Fantastic Four!" Webby finished.

Now that was _some_ news.

"Those celebrities?" Max sounded irritated.

"Yes, Mr. Richards has confirmed their agreement to meet us. They will be here tomorrow to…"

"Why would we need anyone else if we have Amara… I mean Aquamarine," Max interrupted Woods.

Does he really need to _always_ put his two cents in everything?

"I don't have to discuss my decisions with you," Woods looked at Max firmly.

Eat up, Max, and just shut up. I hear your voice way too often lately.

But really, why did Webby want those celebs involved? To get some publicity? Doubt it. I huffed silently. It's rather the fact that General Hager has been killed during the mission with them, looks like Webby's kinda grateful. That's when he got his next promotion.

I examined my commanders face. Feelings are human thing. But when they are led by those feelings – like that deep hatred Woods used to feel towards Hager – they stop being humans.

Woods winced when he noticed me stare. I looked away not wanting any drama.

"Okay then… here are the profiles of the members of the Fantastic Four," he headed us the CDs and we took one each. "I need you to know all that by tomorrow. As I have already said," Woods looked at Max, "they will be here tomorrow at 4 pm to discuss the details. Brooks, Tucholsky, Bennett – I want you here tomorrow. Hudgens – you I _don't_ need."

I hid a smile looking at Max's annoyed expression.

"And, of course, Aquamarine," Woods looked at me.

Yeah, sure. He will be showing off his toy.

"Dismissed."

"Hey, wait for me!" I heard Max's voice when I was already on my bike. "Where're you going?"

"Home. Need to look through their profiles," I answered calmly.

"I thought we could hang out…"

"We have a task, Max. We need to get ready. See you," I put my helmet on and started the engine.

"Yeah, bye," he didn't sound happy.

Honestly, he should back off for some time. I already have an overdose of him and his caring attitude.

Back home I drank about five liters water and then ordered a huge pepperoni pizza. Not that I felt hungry – I never do – I just like junk food. When I was living in the NGA all they gave me was highly nutritious and vitamin rich food, which sucked, but when they sent me to 'blend in' to my own apartment no one gave me directions on what I should eat. In fact the only directions I got were 'keep your powers in secret' and 'be always within our reach', so all I have been eating since then was pizza, cookies, ice-cream and all that jazz. Good thing those scientists managed to leave me taste receptors… not that they had any idea of what they are doing, like I found out recently, I snorted.

o-kay… The Fantastic Four… let's start…

I put the CD into my laptop and took a slice of pizza. Yummy!

_R__eed Richards… Academic degrees in mechanical, aerospace, electrical engineering, chemistry, all levels of physics and human biology…_ damn is that man smart! And I thought all that he does is killing his wife's ex-boyfriend again and again and dancing… I huffed remembering that dance of his that was all over the news last year.

_Born… childhood… school… MIT… _wow, he was a nice student…

_Now married to Susan Storm… no kids..._

Now personal characteristics: _work comes first which always irritates Susan Storm… inattentive to whatever doesn't relate to science… especially when he's up to challenge… closest friend:_ _Benjamin Grimm. Used to have a conflict after the space trip in 2005, because Grimm has suffered the most, but then the affair was settled._

Done with Richards. Now Mrs. Richards, a.k.a. Invisible Woman…

Damn, the pizza is finished. I hissed, stood up and went to the kitchen, where I have almost endless amount of cocoa-filled cookies. I took one pack and returned to my laptop.

_Susan Storm-Richards… wife to Reed Richards since last year. _

_A younger brother Jonathan Lowell Spencer Storm…__Mother died in a car accident… father was imprisoned soon after…_

_Attended MIT as well, majored in genetics. Used to date Richards during college, then they broke up... Former Head of Genetic Research Department of Von Doom Industries, former __girlfriend of von Doom himself… was back with Richards in 2005._

_Plays motherly figure within the team… takes care of housekeeping… sometimes assists Richards in his researches… friends with Alicia Masters, Grimm's girlfriend. _

_Benjamin Jacob Grimm a.k.a. The Thing_

I looked at the picture of Grimm before he was affected. This must've been hard.

I squeezed my palm trying to calm myself but the water in the glass, that was standing nearby, started to boil nevertheless.

I know how it is, looking really different from everyone else, except I've never been a hero. I know how Grimm felt back then. Good I won't ever feel that anymore.

_Attended MIT… _thatplace is some superhero factory, for sure_… eventually became NASA astronaut until joining his friend Richards' company… which was bankrupt before the space trip. _

_Was rejected by his fiancée Debbie Mcllvane, soon after the space trip… now dating Alicia Masters… has difficult relationship with Jonathan Storm…_

_Jonathan Lowell Spencer Storm… known as 'Johnny Storm', a.k.a. Human Torch_

_Former NASA astronaut, was fired after crashing a flight simulator with girls inside into a wall…_

I laughed loudly. Crashing a flight simulator into a wall?

_Joined von Doom Industries… _yeah, with a little help from his sister, I suppose… hey, what's that? What information could possibly need a table that big…

_List of Jonathan Lowell Spencer Storm's girlfriends, _I read the title.

Okay, now that is… huge, I must say. Over a hundred girls? Okay, I remember I called him a player first time I saw him on TV, but now I have to call him 'man whore'.

I was looking through the names. Hope Webby doesn't expect me to learn by heart the names of all girls that guy slept with? His relationship lasts one week maximum so I don't think that's vital information.

And what's that? One… two… three… ten months long relationship? Really? And the girl would be… oh, Frankie Raye.

I smirked. Never have a chance to meet her in person but from what I know: purposeful, ruthless, can walk over anyone… in other words, bitch. I heard she got promoted fast after Hager, her commander, was killed. Wonder what made her and that player break up?

I finished reading the list. Footnote stated '_the data are approximate; the exact number may vary in range of 30_'.

I laughed again, this time even louder. Now that guy made my day, seriously.

I found some joined video-clips in one of the files. Interviews… paparazzi videos… press conference… more interviews…

I clicked on the last one of Jonathan Storm interviews. Strictly speaking it wasn't an interview, just reporters asking questions on the go.

"Johnny, tell us, how are you feeling after breaking up with Frankie? You have been together for almost ten months!" a reporter asked.

A Hollywood grin flashed across the guy's face. "Well, in the beginning it's been hard, but I'm already over it. It wasn't the big love, if you know what I mean…"

Girls around sighed in unison.

"Do you believe in love?" the reported continued.

"Of course I do! And I hope that one day I'll find it, but right now my heart is free," he smiled again and the girls screamed, obviously ecstatic.

I snorted. Girls, you need some serious reality check. That guy falling in love? The nature just didn't program him being able to _love_ somebody. It's like he's genetically unable to feel anything.

That thought made me chuckle. Genetically unable to feel anything. Just like me.

I shook my head still chuckling. And then clicked on another video.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

**May 3****rd****, 2008**

I felt like something hit me and opened my eyes. What time is it? I stayed up way past midnight last night, reading everything I could find about Fantastic Four… Webby would always say that 'information is the clue to power' so I had no other choice put to literally learn all the data by heart. And today I should be in NGA… crap! I should be there in an hour!

I cursed and threw the blanked away. Now Webby will be pissed again and I'm so fed up seeing him like that… in fact he was pissed almost twenty four-seven.

I did my best to get ready as fast as I could and about fifteen minutes later I was running out of the elevator in the underground parking, helmet in my hands.

About an hour later I was speeding down the street along the NGA building, looking for spare places on the way too small parking lot. The size of it infuriated almost every employee but according to the strategy all NGA premises should look unobtrusive.

The only spare place turned out to be right next to another motorcycle so I headed there. The rider, a guy with short hair, was looking at the building, obviously thinking of how pathetic it was. I huffed. The strategy seemed to be working.

When I got closer to the guy I recognized him. Wow, lucky me, Jonathan Lowell Spencer Storm in flesh. The overwhelming majority of all female population would die right here in ecstasy. Well, my time of dying is though soon, but definitely not for this reason. And he was supposed to be inside about half an hour ago, by the way.

"Wow!" the guy gasped when I stopped the engine. "Electra Glide Ultra! That is my dream!"

I chuckled. What, he can't persuade his 'responsible for financial part' sister to give him some money to buy what he wants? Or he could just take one for nothing, just for being Johnny Storm, as he's already done millions of times?

I wanted to ask him that but then remembered I'm actually late and Woods will be on my ass really soon, so I remained silent and took off my helmet.

Okay… did he just gasp a 'wow' again? Why would he?

I fought an urge to look at him to check his face but decided I should better hurry. I put the helmet on the seat of my bike and rushed towards the doors.

"Hey! Hey, wait!" I heard his voice behind. "I am here for the first time, could you help me?"

What would _he_ need?

"Yes?" I stopped and turned around, plastering the politest smile I had on my face.

"I am Johnny Storm, but people know me as Human Torch," he smiled that Hollywood smile of his.

I scanned him down and up, stopping at his face. He was looking back at mine.

Again. no. don't stare! Don't stare!

The fear was building up in me again but I was sure my face didn't show it. I was trying to calm myself down, trying to read his face, but couldn't. Max was right. I can't understand what people think about when they're too close.

'_T__he data are approximate; the exact number may vary in range of 30.'_

Suddenly this phrase popped up in my head and it made me smirk. The guy blinked.

I exhaled but made sure it was unnoticeable.

"Wow, I'm impressed," I finally stated, "and?"

"And what is your name?" he continued, looking at me again, but this time I was focusing on keeping myself calm and not letting the fear take over, and I wasn't trying to read his face.

"How does my name relate to your problem?"

"My problem?" he blinked again.

"You are here for the first time and you need help and?"

"Oh, sure…"

He wasn't staring at me anymore so I felt way more confident.

"And maybe you could show me where to go and everything…"

"Well there is only one front door and we are standing right next to it," I smiled politely again, "and I suppose you can come into the building through it. Anything else?"

He looked down at the ground.

I won, I smiled mentally.

"Oh, no, thanks… um… maybe we could…" the guy started.

Okay, that's it, I _really_ need to go.

"Excuse me, but I'm late for something," I wouldn't let him finish. "Good bye!"

"But…"

I wouldn't listen and entered the building. One of the employees, a new one, actually, bowed to me respectfully. He always did that when he saw me, obviously he just doesn't know who I am yet. He must think I'm someone's lover. Maybe Webby's.

That thought made me both chuckle and frown with disgust. I nodded swiftly and turned left into the smaller passage.

"Jonathan Storm?" it was the last thing I paid attention to.

"Where have you _been_?" Duke Bennett, one of Webby's assistants, exclaimed when I entered a small room next to Woods' office.

"Overslept," I answered simply, grabbing the suit I wear when I need to transform myself. "Get out."

Duke huffed but left the room. I changed and went to the passage; I had to wait right outside the door of Woods' office. Guess he likes pretending I'm his dog.

Soon enough the door opened and I came in.

Here they are, the famous Fantastic Four. I quickly scanned their faces. Richards looked curious – that's a scientist face I've seen a lot, his wife had an 'I care about this people so don't dare hurt them' expression – a typical mother escorting her kids to some place unknown and thus dangerous. The Thing… I had no idea what that expression meant… too bad they don't make books about facial expressions of creatures, that consist of stone. And Johnny Storm…

"What? Wait. Where's the device?" he asked right when I was about to try and figure him out. "Oh, I got it, it's like a TV-shop! Now you will bring us something, right?"

O-kay, 'figuring out Johnny Storm – complete'. He's just the same type like Max – always has to say something, especially when others prefer him quiet. Guess my look showed all I thought about him.

"No, Mr. Storm, you are mistaken this time!" Woods smiled. Gee, recognize _that_ expression. He's anticipating the effect I will make on them as a 'marine device'.

"What? That kid?" Grimm's face twisted. He must've raised his eyebrows. Now he is interesting, I huffed mentally. But then another thought appeared. I'm twenty-two, since when actually do people stop being called 'kid'? Just curious.

"Yes," Woods nodded.

"And she can do what you told us?" Richards looked absolutely shocked. "She has these powers?"

"Yes, all of them."

"But how… I mean is she like us?" Richards continued.

I huffed mentally again, though keeping my face calm. No, dude, I'm better. You are part human, part… well… not. And I'm all not. Which makes me free from all your human drama.

"I think we should go to our laboratory to show you Aquamarine's capacities. Please follow me,"

Webby stood up and headed towards the door.

Here comes his favorite part. Showing off his toy. Not that I mind though, I will be in water and for that I could give anything.

I was following Woods and the others were behind. I could hear Richards and his wife discussing all they've heard from Woods, the other two of them were silent.

"Does this building fit laboratories?" Richards asked looking slightly amused. "NGA strategy" must've worked on him too. They must be surprised there are elevators here, I fought a smile.

"Just one, but that's enough for us. Here we are," Woods was the first one to step out of the elevator. I followed.

A smile spread across my face when I saw the pool. The water in it was dark which may seem unusual, but not to me and the others who worked in here. The light was designed specially for days like this, when Woods needed to impress people. Or rather shock them.

"Aquamarine, let's begin!"

I smiled again. _Water_.

I stepped closer to the pool and raised my hand, feeling how light tension fills it from the shoulder down to my palm. Water was obeying my will, it was rising denying all stupid gravity laws. When my hand stopped the water stopped as well and formed a ball which was hanging above the surface.

I strained my hand, the tension became harder for a second then disappeared, and the water ball froze in mid-air. Then I started to slowly make a fist and instead of tension there was ease all down my arm, especially in my palm. The water evaporated.

"Cool," I heard Richards say when I was done. Seriously? He knows words like 'cool'? I though he speaks only scientific terms. "And what about condensing?"

I turned towards him and raised my hand. Don't like doing this actually because the air around will immediately get dryer and I will be the first – or the only – one to feel it. my body needs a lot of water. When I don't have it, that is one thing I _always_ sense, though have no idea how.

But nevertheless I balled my fist and could literally sense water in the air. When my hand clenched, a small ball of water appeared in mid-air between Richards and I.

At the same time I felt a little stiff. Well, that's it. have to get water back into the air.

I strained my palm, putting all fingers together. The water evaporated.

"Wow," The Thing commented this time.

"'Wow' would be an understatement!" Richards added. "But how did you manage to…"

"Let's not talk about details now, Mr. Richards," Webby interrupted him.

I almost huffed. Sure, Webby wouldn't wanna talk about how they were experimenting on a human being and to what those experiments lead eventually.

"I will give you all documentation when we finish. And now about traveling in water… Aquamarine, get in the pool!" Woods ordered. Here comes his favorite part. Well, to be honest, mine as well.

I dived into the pool and smiled. That was it. I was living for nothing but moments like this, moments I spend in water.

I impatiently unzipped some of the zippers on my suit and just let my instincts do the job. Those instincts weren't natural but they were all I had. And they were all I wanted to have to be honest.

I didn't feel anything but when about half a second later I looked at my body, still being underwater, I saw a fishtail covered in emerald-green scales. The breath I was holding before was now easy, and not through my nose but through the gills. Every amount of water coming through them gave my brain the best sensation ever. I smiled again. I would give a world only for being _this_ me forever. I swam up, being careful not to show my gills.

"You know you have to get used to be in this suit in water, but for now, you can take it off," Woods nodded.

Good. I hate swimming on that suit, it felt like I was covered in plastic.

I plunged down and unzipped the rest of my zippers then let the suit sink. I will pick it later.

I swam up again.

"Aquamarine can stay underwater for however long you need," Woods spoke to Richards.

"How is that possible?"

"Aquamarine…" Woods looked at me. Here comes the show.

I nodded slightly and made a swift easy movement with my tail, which let me come up higher and show more of my neck.

I saw them all being shocked. Even Grimm's emotions were now obvious.

I swiftly hid my gills in water again. Even a second without water made me feel uncomfortable, and more time could be fatal.

"And now prepare yourselves for a surprise!" Webby announced smiling again.

"Isn't that enough?" Mrs. Richards asked quietly.

"Aquamarine, come here!" Woods commanded again. He was literally beaming like a kid on Christmas Eve… not that I saw how kids beam on Christmas Eve, it's just how it's written in books.

I plunged into water again and swam to the edge of the pool staying underwater. When I reached it I raised my head and make my tail visible.

The expressions I saw weren't different from expressions I've seen on other people in the similar situation. But the face of 'Human Torch' was funny. His jaw dropped so low I swear a bird could fly into his mouth through that hole. I hid a smile.

"A mermaid?" he gasped about half a minute later. He was the first one to speak.

"Yes, Mr. Storm!" Woods nodded enthusiastically. "After one of the experiments we got this! Who knows, maybe mermaids did exist some time ago?"

"Aquamarine can gather speed of about hundred kilometers per hour in water," Woods went on. "This pool is one hundred fifty meter long and it can reach the other side in less than one and a half second."

I dived in again. I needed to fulfill all tasks if I wanted to get home sooner, because otherwise I'd have to stay here for hours after all this listening how useless I am and how grateful I should be for what he did to me. I _really_ had enough of that already.

I swiftly swam to the other side of the pool. No fun at all. Just when I start gathering some real speed I already must stop.

I looked at Webby again, expecting future orders.

"Or maybe faster," Woods seemed pleased. Good for me. "Aquamarine can also break some hard materials with tail. It may not be as strong as Mr. Grimm but still… Anyway, Aquamarine will be a perfect device to get that substance out of the water and transfer it to a submarine."

"But the Mariana Trench is eleven kilometer deep! The temperature there is lower than a human can handle!" Richards exclaimed.

I saw Webby smiling again. Gee, here he is, losing all his amount of good mood and now he will be even worse with his subordinates. Good thing he will never get to me.

"Mr. Richards, may I ask you to touch the water?"

Richards did as he was told and swiftly took his hand out.

"It's freezing!"

"Aquamarine can handle any temperature of water, as I said it is a perfect marine device. So, if we are finished with demonstration… Aquamarine, dismissed!"

I plunged into the water again. The show-off part is done, but I still need to wait for Webby's orders.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Aquamarine!"

Woods entered the room where I was doing nothing.

"Tomorrow you will move into the Baxter Building. To get ready for the mission."

Move into where? Isn't that where those superheroes-slash-celebrities live? And why would I need to get ready for the mission?

"It was an offer of Richards and I couldn't waste the opportunity," Webby continued.

Oh, got it now. He will make me nose into everything I can and find out as much as I can.

"Keep an eye on them. I want to know what they're up to."

Oh, I can say what Storm guy is up to without even spying. Nightclubs, girls, money, cars, expensive stuff…

"Understood?" he raised his eyebrow.

I nodded.

"Dismissed."

I left the room and headed towards the parking lot. A bike near mine was already gone, but it looks like I'll get a chance to see the bike and its owner again soon.

**So? Please review, it would mean a lot to me!**


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